What’s the most profound, insightful, or interesting thing you’ve learned as a mental health professional?
Working with others on emotional and mental stumbling blocks or even simple problems of daily living or life transitions demands that the therapist learn to deal with their own. This process is frequently blocked by fear; fear that having a problem means there is something wrong with us. I have learned that there is nothing to fear in this process and that our “lack” is usually a simple lack of knowledge in how to deal with our own insecurities and emotions. It is not taught in school. We have mostly learned to hide our deeper concerns from others and from ourselves. Mental health is about learning to face issues mindfully as they arise, so they do not become hidden or buried within our minds, bodies or spirits. This allows our available energy to flow freely through our bodies, hearts, and souls allowing us to embrace life. This includes the joys, the heart aches, and the challenges. Life can become an adventure; joy and happiness frequently arise from successful negotiation of life’s challenges and we become stronger and healthier in the process.
What was your path to becoming a therapist? What inspired you to choose this profession?
I took an interesting path to the mental health field; I started my professional career as a physical therapist, doing extensive post graduate work in manual orthopedics. I found that myofascial release work, cranio-sacral therapy, and acupressure work released old emotional residue in my clients who frequently spontaneously began sharing fears, experiences, self-doubts, and traumas while receiving hands on body work. The mind-body-spirit connection was being vividly exhibited on my worktable on a daily basis. I found myself in the position of having to attend to mental and emotional wounds as well as physical. I was fascinated and returned to school to learn more directly about this mind-body connection so that I was able to address emotional issues as they arose. My career is now focused on the mental-emotional health issues of my clients, but I am always aware that what happens on one level, affects us on all levels. I look for interconnections and do my best to address the entire individual, not just a single presenting issue.
If there was one thing you wish people knew about the therapy experience who might be hesitant to try it, what would that be?
I love having the opportunity to share with people that the therapy experience is exciting, exhilarating, enlightening and fun. That being said, it also sometimes involves attending to old wounds and unpleasant feelings and experiences, but the result is greater self-awareness, self-appreciation, and improvements in relationships with other people, one’s self and the world at large. It expands us, makes us bigger; it makes us better able to cope with all the vagaries of life as they arise. It allows us the personal power and confidence to trust our selves to be competent to handle positive and negative situations with grace and calmness. It is a personal growth experience and I believe it is something everyone should experience.
Specialties
Depression
Depression often causes people to feel sad, empty, or hopeless, and can cause a lack of interest in life. It can also affect a person's thinking patterns and physical health.
Anxiety
Anxiety can mean nervousness, worry, or self-doubt. Anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder that entails excessive, repeated bouts of worry, anxiety, and/or fear.
Loss/Grief
Grief is a reaction to an emotionally significant loss and often comes with symptoms of depression or anxiety. These symptoms can remain intense and last for a long time after a loss, making it difficult to move forward with a healthy lifestyle.
Stress
Distress stems from a subjective perception of something being unwanted, undesirable, or detrimental to your wellbeing. Excessive stress significantly impairs mental and physical health and is associated with many diseases and conditions.
Trauma
Trauma is the result of experiencing a perceived, extremely distressful event. Although the stress threshold for each person differs, meaning that each person considers and experiences trauma differently, it is an event that tops one’s threshold. It exceeds one’s ability to cope or emotionally process. Symptoms may include shock, anxiety, confusion, hopelessness, feeling disconnected, mood swings, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts.
General Expertise
Work Stress
Workplace issues are a common source of stress and can include interpersonal conflict, communication problems, gossip, harassment, discrimination, low motivation and job satisfaction, performance issues, and poor job fit.
Relationship Issues
Refers relationship issues with a partner or spouse. Can include issues related to relationship distress, relationship satisfaction, communication, intimacy, etc.
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is the degree to which a person feels confident, valuable, and worthy of respect. Feeling low self-esteem can influence overall well-being and be linked to anxiety and/or depression.
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety or social phobia is fear of social situations or a fear of interacting with people other than close friends and family. Social anxiety can be persistent, intense, and debilitating, greatly affecting daily life.
Abuse/Survivors of abuse
Abuse includes any significant mistreatment along the lines of psychical, emotional, sexual, verbal, and neglect. Survivors of abuse may experience negative thoughts and feelings, flashbacks, distrust of others, social withdrawal, self-harm, and increased likelihood of developing mental health and substance abuse issues.
Fees
$95
First Session
$95
Couples Therapy
$95
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Couples Session
Individual Session
Clientele
Parents
Adults (25-65)
Seniors (65+)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness Practices
Strength Based Therapy
Gestalt Therapy
Imago Relationship Therapy
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Motivational Interviewing
Narrative Therapy
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Reality Therapy
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Somatic Therapy
Transpersonal Therapy
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Training / Certifications
Trauma-focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy; Medical University of South Carolina on-line.
Child Trauma Intervention; 3-day training; Richmont Graduate University; Chattanooga, TN
Adult Trauma Intervention; 3-day training; Richmont Graduate University, Chattanooga, TN
Motivational Interviewing; PESI; San Antonio, TX
Trauma and Biology; 3-day training; Richmont Graduate University, Chattanooga, TN
Behavioral Addictions; NETCE; Sacramento, CA
Integrating Mindfulness into Clinical Practice; NETCE, Sacramento, CA
Cognitive Rehabilitation and Memory Enhancement; VYNE education; San Antonio, TX
Neuroscience for Clinicians; Brain Change for Stress, Anxiety, Trauma, Moods and Substance Abuse; PESI, San Antonio, TX
Bowen Family Theory; University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Real World DBT; PESI; Marietta, GA
CBT; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques for Everyday Clinical Practice; CMI education institute; Chattanooga, TN
Play Therapy Protocol for Anxiety Disorders; Middle Tennessee State University; Murfreesboro, TN.
EFT, level I (Emotional Freedom Technique) for trauma release; 3-day training; AAMET; Marietta, GA
EFT, level II; 3-day training; Marietta, GA
Multiple other work shops in various Mental Health techniques and Ethics; Anger, Forgiveness, and Spirituality issues.
30 years of continuing education, 30 hours per year for various Physical Therapy specialties integrated with mental health applications.
Presently pursuing a degree for Doctor of Natural and Bioenergetic Medicine and Sacred Medicine; IBEM (Institute of Bioenergetic Medicine, Centennial, CO
Licensure
TX, LCSW, 62894
Education
MSW (Master’s in clinical social work and marital and family therapy); Wayne State University, Detroit MI.
MSPT (Master’s in Manual Orthopedic Physical Therapy); Sorlandett’s Institute, (now Ola Grimsby Institute) held in Dallas, TX.
Gaduate certificate in Marital and Family Therapy, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
BSPT (Bachelor’s in Physical therapy); University of TX Health Science Center at Dallas
Certified Yoga Instructor; Amrit Yoga instructor’s training; Colorado Springs, CO
LMT (Licensed Massage Therapist); Institute of Natural Healing Sciences; Colleyville, TX
Work History
My primary experience and expertise evolved from my work with a wide variety of problems and people of all backgrounds, economic and educational levels. My work varied from helping people with life transitions, losses, rapid change, problems of living, depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, grief and social/relationship deficits. I found a large proportion of my clientele suffered from trauma including sexual abuse, mental and physical abuse, and or violence. I actively pursued extensive education in addressing trauma issues. Grief and loss are areas of challenge for many and I have found this to be my favorite area of work as it is extremely effective and transformational. I hold a graduate certificate in family and marital therapy and have supported couples and families in improving intimacy and harmony and in the process of divorce when indicated. I feel especially competent with anxiety, stress, fear, depression, life problems/transitions, trauma, grief and spiritual development issues.
Location
,, Luling, 78648, TX